Rep. Suzan K. DelBene

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to explicitly prohibit the President from using emergency powers to impose import taxes (tariffs), tariff-rate quotas, or other import quotas. It directly affects the President's authority under this law, removing a potential tool for trade restrictions during emergencies. The key provision inserts a new subsection (c) clarifying that the President cannot impose such import barriers through emergency authority. This is a procedural change to existing law, not a new policy affecting specific industries or individuals.

Maddy summaryHR 9774, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2024, would expand premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act for households earning between 150% and 400% of the federal poverty level. It modifies the sliding scale calculation to reduce the percentage of monthly insurance premiums these households must pay, with the lowest out-of-pocket costs for those near 400% of poverty. This directly affects individuals and families purchasing health insurance through marketplace plans who qualify for these tax credits. The changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 9778, the PAVE Act, requires Medicare to include penicillin allergy verification during routine preventive exams and annual wellness visits for seniors aged 65 and older. The bill mandates identifying patients with self-reported penicillin allergies, assessing whether their history indicates a true allergy, explaining the health risks of a false label, and referring to specialists when needed. This applies to Medicare-covered visits starting January 1, 2025, directly affecting seniors with penicillin allergy labels in their medical records. The goal is to correct false allergies - supported by evidence showing over 90% of such labels are inaccurate - improving treatment options and reducing unnecessary healthcare costs.

Maddy summaryHR 9138, the ADAPT Act, expands Medicare coverage to include services provided by psychology trainees (doctoral interns or postdoctoral residents in APA-accredited programs) under the general supervision of a licensed psychologist. It requires the creation of a new billing code (GC modifier) for these services and directs the HHS Secretary to issue guidance to states on covering similar services through Medicaid and CHIP programs. The bill affects psychology trainees seeking licensure and healthcare systems billing Medicare/Medicaid, enabling reimbursement for supervised trainee services. Key provisions include defining "advanced psychology trainee," establishing billing protocols, and providing states with strategies to implement coverage. The changes take effect one year after enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 9061 increases federal funding to support child welfare caseworkers by raising the annual appropriation under the Social Security Act from $345 million to $385 million. It specifically boosts the reserved amount for caseworker recruitment, retention, and training from $20 million to $60 million annually, and adds a requirement to include worker safety and well-being in these efforts. The bill directly affects state child welfare agencies and their caseworkers by providing more resources to address staffing challenges. The changes take effect in the first fiscal year after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Social Security Act to include peer-to-peer mentoring services in key child welfare programs. It requires family preservation, support, reunification, and adoption services to incorporate mentoring by individuals with direct lived experience as caregivers, foster parents, or birth parents who navigated similar family crises. The policy change allows states to use existing federal funds for these peer mentoring services, which directly support caregivers at risk, foster parents, and birth parents working toward family reunification. The amendments apply to programs under Title IV of the Social Security Act, effective for fiscal years after enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 8796, the "Stop Comstock Act," removes outdated restrictions from federal law that previously banned the distribution of materials related to contraception and abortion as "obscene" or "indecent." The bill amends Title 18 and the Tariff Act by deleting references to "indecent," "immoral," "unlawful abortion," and "procuring abortion" from provisions governing obscene materials. It clarifies that the law only prohibits "obscene materials" in commerce, eliminating broad restrictions on reproductive health information. This directly affects internet platforms, healthcare providers, and individuals sharing reproductive health resources by removing legal barriers to their distribution.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Medicare Advantage plans to implement electronic prior authorization systems by 2027 and publish detailed data on their approval and denial rates for medical services by 2026. It directly affects Medicare Advantage plans (private insurers offering Medicare coverage) and their enrollees (seniors 65+), mandating transparency about prior authorization decisions, processing times, and appeal outcomes. Key provisions include requiring plans to report annual statistics on request approvals/denials, average processing times, and use of technology, with this data published publicly by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The bill also sets timelines for plan responses to prior authorization requests and mandates reports to Congress on implementation and impacts.

Maddy summaryThe Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act (HR 8543) establishes a permanent Medicaid payment system for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) and adds their services to Medicare coverage. It creates a new Medicaid payment system that calculates payments based on clinic costs with annual inflation adjustments, and sets Medicare reimbursement at 80% of the lesser of actual charges or determined amounts. The bill also creates a new grant program providing $552.5 million annually from 2024-2028 to support CCBHC operations, with specific certification requirements including 24/7 crisis services, sliding scale fees, and care coordination across providers. The legislation requires clinics to meet new certification standards and establishes a data collection system to track clinic performance.

Maddy summaryHR 8390, the Mental Health and MAMA Act of 2024, eliminates cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles) for mental health and substance use disorder services during pregnancy and for one year after birth. It applies to people enrolled in group health plans, individual insurance, or federal employee health plans, covering services provided by in-network providers. The bill requires insurers to waive these costs starting two years after enactment, explicitly including telehealth services. It specifically targets care for pregnant and postpartum individuals, ensuring coverage from pregnancy diagnosis through the 12 months following birth.